Honestly, you’re probably reading this because you ran out of juice on your disposable vape, however, you can see that there is still a lot of e-liquid left in the tank. Discarding it seems wasteful, and purchasing a replacement before it dies seems premature. I have lost count of how many times I’ve stared at what seemed to be a “dead” vape, questioning whether I could squeeze a few more puffs out of it.
Yes, you may be able to recharge a disposable vape, but it does come with many warnings. Manufacturers do not endorse this practice, and the act of recharging a disposable vape voids any warranty that the manufacturer might have imagined. Also, there are many risks involved.
A Crucial Disclaimer: Understanding the Risks
Before we even begin picking up our screwdrivers, it is essential to recognize that we are dealing with a lithium-ion battery. These batteries can easily catch fire or explode when misused. We must be extremely careful when we handle them, or puncture, short-circuit, or overcharge them.
- Hardware Limitations: As mentioned earlier, disposable vapes are designed for one-time use. The battery used in a disposable vape is only powerful enough to vaporize the amount of e-liquid included with the product. Although a disposable vape has been recharged, its battery will have been degraded, and the coil will have developed gunk (build-up), and thus the vape experience will be greatly diminished, and will result in less vapor produced, and less flavor.
- Your Liability: When you attempt to recharge a disposable vape, you assume all liability for your actions. Please proceed with great caution.
I would say that your chances of successfully recharging a disposable vape depend largely on the type of disposable vape you purchased. Models such as certain Puff Bars and Hyde vapes seem to be relatively easy to access due to their design, while other models appear to be glued together with glue. The newer “rechargeable disposables” have made the recharge process easier, but this guide is specifically for the traditional, single-use disposables.
The Step-by-Step Guide to Recharging a Disposable Vape
What You Will Need:
- A dead disposable vape with e-liquid visible in the tank.
- A Phillips head or flathead screwdriver (a paperclip is also suitable).
- An old USB cable that you can sacrifice (micro-usb or usb-c are both fine).
- Wire strippers or a sharp knife.
- Electrical tape.
Step 1: Locate and Access the Battery Compartment
Disposable vapes are usually constructed of two parts which are either pressed fit or glued together. The battery is usually located in the lower part of the device. You must search for the seams in your vape to locate the battery compartment. Once located, you will need to insert your screwdriver into the top of the mouthpiece and gently pry the outer casing off. Some models have a small rubber plug at the base of the vape, which you will need to pop out to expose the wiring.
Note: Don’t be aggressive. If you cannot budge the outer case, you have likely applied too much pressure and you may damage the internal pod and cause a leak.
Step 2: Locate the Battery and Wiring
When the outer casing is removed, you will see a small cylindrical lithium-ion battery (usually between 400mah and 600mah), a small circuit board, and the vape’s tank. Two thin wires (usually red and black) will connect the battery to the circuit board and the atomizer.
Fact: The red wire is positive (+), and the black wire is negative (-). If you mix up the polarity of the wires, you will short-circuit the battery and potentially cause a fire.
Step 3: Prepare Your Old USB Cable
Remove the end of the USB cable that connects to the charger (e.g., remove the phone-end, and retain the USB-A end). Remove about half an inch of the outer insulation of the cables to expose the four thinner wires. You only require the red (positive) and black (negative) wires. Strip a small portion of the ends of these two wires. Use a twist tie to make a neat tip to the stripped ends.
Tip: Cover the green and white data wires with electrical tape to prevent them from making contact with the red and black wires.
Step 4: Connect the Cables to the Battery
This is the most dangerous step.
- Connect your prepared USB cable to a low power source, such as a computer USB port, or a 5-watt phone charger brick. Avoid using high-powered chargers.
- Find the connection points. You will need to touch the tips of your USB cable’s red and black wires to the terminals of the battery. The ideal location is where the original thin wires are soldered to the small metal tabs on the battery.
- Carefully press the exposed tip of your USB cable’s red wire against the positive terminal of the battery (the same area as the original red wire).
- Carefully press the exposed tip of your USB cable’s black wire against the negative terminal of the battery (the same area as the original black wire).
If you have properly connected your USB cable, you should see a small spark (which is normal), and the LED light on the vape (if it has one) should illuminate, indicating that the vape is charging.
Step 5: “The Hold”, and Charge Time
You will need to hold these wires in place until the vape is fully charged. Do not leave the room. A typical small battery like this takes anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour to reach full charge.
In most cases, you won’t need a full charge. A 15-20 minute charge will yield a decent number of puffs. The battery was never designed to support multiple charges, and charging the battery beyond what it needs is a risk.
Step 6: Test and Reassemble
Once the vape has finished charging, unplug the USB cable, and take a few puffs to test the vape. If the vape produces vapor, carefully reassemble the vape. If you damaged the housing, you can cover the gaps with electrical tape to keep the device secure.
The Harsh Reality: Why You Probably Should Not Do This
Although this procedure can work, I believe that the following perspectives I have gained from having done this numerous times are important to note:
- Flavor Never the Same Again: The coil in a disposable vape is designed to provide a satisfactory vape experience for the duration of the life of the pre-charged battery. After you recharge the battery, the coil is further degraded and caramelized with old e-liquid. As a result, the puffs you produce will likely be weak and burnt tasting.
- It is Only a Temporary Solution: While you may be able to obtain 50 – 100 additional puffs, the vape experience will rapidly deteriorate.
- Risk vs Reward: Is saving $10 on a new vape worth the possibility of having a battery fail and catch fire? I would say that for the average person, the answer is no.
A Better, Safer Option
If you find yourself frequently attempting to recharge disposable vapes, it is a good indication that you should look at purchasing a pod-based system. A product such as the Uwell Caliburn or a Vaporesso XROS offers:
- The ability to safely recharge via a USB-C port.
- Is significantly more cost-effective — you only pay for the initial device, and then purchase affordable bottles of e-liquid and replaceable pods.
- Provides a better vape experience with more consistent flavor and vapor.
- Will help reduce waste by eliminating the need to discard a battery and a plastic device daily.
In summary, recharging a disposable vape is a hack of last resort. It can be accomplished, and I have accomplished it. However, given the knowledge I have obtained regarding the subpar results and non-zero risks involved, my official recommendation is to treat disposable vapes as the single-use products that they are and to consider a reusable pod-based system for a better and safer long-term vape experience.